Lately, it seems like everyone has gone vegan — or, at least, is dabbling with the idea of doing so.

Even the fast-food industry.

As the buzz surrounding meatless burger options on offer through drive-thru destinations has continued to grow, we got to wondering: what’s all the buzz about?

So, we set about to taste test a few of the meatless burgers on offer among the fast-food fare.

Tim Hortons has introduced Beyond Meat breakfast sandwiches — but only in select markets. And, at the time of our testing, those markets did not include Vancouver. Meanwhile, Burger King has also announced its plans to introduce a new meatless menu option — this one featuring the popular Impossible Burger patty (the burger will, predictably, be called the Impossible Whopper). The burger has yet to launch in Canada, but its launch in test markets in the U.S. earlier this spring led to a reported 18 per cent boost in business. It’s rumoured to be debuting here this year.

McDonald’s has yet to issue any formal word on a planned veg-forward patty in Canada.

So, that left us to try the veggie options from three fast food destinations that are readily available for most Metro Vancouverites: A&W, White Spot and KFC.

KFC, yes, the restaurant celebrated for its country-fried menu full of chicken has had a veggie burger for several years now. If you haven’t tried it yet, you should because it’s quite delicious. But, be forewarned, it’s not vegan — and finicky foodies could argue it’s not even really vegetarian due to the fact that most of the patties are cooked in the same oil as the other chicken products.

But, if you’re not a stickler for those preparation details, then, the KFC Veggie Burger (470 calories) is worth a bite. Featuring shredded lettuce and a spicy mayo (ahem, also not vegan as far as we could tell), the crispy patty had a nice crunch, boasted a decent traditional burger bun complete with sesame seeds — and, well, it tasted just like chicken. Those who prefer a less soggy situation with their burgers may want to ask for the mayo on the side, as we found the sandwich was a bit sloppy with the full dose of mayo on it. The KFC option scored a 4/5 from our taste testers (the scale was rate out of five and was based on overall flavour and appearance).

Up next, was the Beyond Meat Burger from A&W, the company that’s arguably led the charge on introducing vegetarian-friendly options — or, at least, the mainstream fast-food introduction of the Beyond Meat patty — in Canada. Much like the KFC patty, there are contamination consequences with this patty that make it unlikely to call it a true vegan option. On the brand’s website, they state: “Beyond Meat Burger patties are cooked on the same grill as beef, bacon, and eggs and may come into contact with these ingredients.”

Again, though, if you’re willing to look Beyond (sorry, I had to) the close cooking quarters, the A&W Beyond Meat Burger (500 calories) offering is quite exceptional. The sesame seed-topped burger bun was a bit dry, but it held up well in transit as we went from place to place collecting the trio of testing treats. With all the preloaded fixings on top — lettuce, red onion, tomato, pickles, ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise — it boasted big flavour. The meat had a nice, authentic texture and it wasn’t overcooked, something that’s easy to do with veggie patties. This burger option scored a 4.5/5 from our group of taste testers.

B.C.’s own restaurant chain, White Spot, officially launched a menu lineup featuring Beyond Meat products at their restaurants, as well as a limited-edition burger option at their quick-service brand Triple O’s, in April. (At a fast-food level, the company advertises it will also substitute a Beyond Meat patty to any of their other sandwiches for an additional fee). Dubbed the Mushroom Avocado Beyond Burger, the mountainous menu option features avocado relish, roasted garlic mushrooms, crisp iceberg lettuce, vine-ripened tomatoes, red onion, signature mayo and our pickle on top.

But, due to various food allergies among our taste testers, we opted for a more simple sandwich: the Original Burger (789 calories) with a Beyond Meat patty subbed in for the usual beef. The patty was topped with iceberg lettuce, vine-ripened tomato and Triple O sauce, which we had on the side. While the burger definitely boasted the best bun, the patty was overcooked and crumbly. Our tasters gave it a 3.5/5.

With more meatless options available at fast-food destinations than ever before, it’s a good time to take a bite out of a plant-based diet. And burgers, as it turns out, are a really delicious place to start.